Erin and Mark

I have 1 million things on my list and updating the blog is not on it, but I have a couple stories that I really want to write down before I forget.

Last week Mark and Erin went to a leadership camp in San Diego.  They had a somewhat extensive application process which included service hours, essays, letters of recommendation and such.  Erin was told that they rejected over 300 kids. (Not sure if the number was stretched but regardless it made her feel good.)  One way to know if your kids are having a blast is the lack of texts.  Now from Mark that isn't a shocker, but Erin loves to text and I only received a couple.  After picking them up at the airport we took them to dinner so Dale and I could hear their experiences before the chaos at home made it a bit more difficult.  It was fun to hear their stories and it was rewarding to hear some of the self realizations they came to.

Mark was roommates with a boy who was an "atheist" (I think.)  He had pulled away from organized religion as a teenager because he felt there was too much hypocrisy involved.  Throughout the week they had several gospel discussions.  At the end of the week Mark gave him a Book of Mormon.  The boy told Mark that after watching him all week, and Erin, that our religion was the purest christian religion he had ever seen.

The last night of the week included a dance which the kids were supposed to dress up for.  Erin didn't bring any skirts and was a bit flustered as girls sometimes get.  One of her roommates, from London, was there for several weeks with her family so she had more clothes than most of the girls.  She offered up her collection of skirts to the girls that didn't have one.  Erin politely declined explaining to the girls that she didn't wear skirts that short.  The girls then went on a mission to find something more suitable for her.  The presented her with a dress which she tried on, but still found it shorter than she knew was acceptable.  She explained that she walked around for a while trying to persuade herself to just wear it. She said she decided that she wouldn't wear it when her dad's voice came back to her telling her not to lower her standards for anyone.  She said she then took off the dress, told the girls thank you but it is still too short.  She said at this point she was in tears, as most girls are when the wardrobe isn't working.  She put on some of her capris, which she admits were a lot better for the dance anyway.  At this point a youth leader, from my understanding one of 25 that are accepted, from Africa came up to her.  She told Erin, (this is paraphrased in my words)  "you know, I thought all American girls just tried to wear as little as possible.  I thought all they tried to do was show off their bodies.  I didn't think you could do it, but I was wrong.  You were a great example and you really impressed me by standing up for yourself."  ----(Insert major mom tears here!!!!)  Not only did this youth leader tell her this, but came up to her again the next day praising her.